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ricardo

Ricardo's report v Newcastle

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Three weeks ago I was strolling up to Carrow Rd having accepted the inevitability of relegation. It wasn''t a nice feeling but at least I felt calm and could sleep at night. The last three results have changed all that so now its back to butterflies in the stomach and midnight permutations on Statto Index.Once again Alex Neil couldn''t resist a fiddle as Bennett, Naismith and Wisdom came in. The opening minutes were nervy with Newcastle just about shading possession and territory but carrying very little goal threat. Fully eight minutes had passed before Cisse looped a header well over the bar while at the other end City replied with Mbokani setting up Naismith from 25 yards. The little mans effort was on target but Darlow made a comfortable save sprawling to his right.  City finally began to push the ball about well and gained the upper hand for much of the rest of the half. We thought we had taken the lead just after the quarter hour mark when Howson raced away on the right and Mbokani side footed home but the flag was clearly up for offside. I couldn''t tell from my end but the was little argument from the home side. The Toon defence didn''t look very solid at all and around the 30 minute mark City fashioned and failed to take several acceptable chances. Mbokani looked odds on a scorer from Naismith''s pass only for the back up keeper to deflect it away from about six yards. Seconds later the big City striker was narrowly off target with a scissor kick that went just wide with the keeper nowhere.There had been little of note from Newcastle but Shelvy should have done better than pick out Klose after finding space on the right. With halftime a minute away I said to my son that we really should be going in at least one ahead and just as City won a free kick on the left. The Toon crowd started to play silly buggars with the ball and a new one had to be chucked on. "Serves them right if we score from this" said my son. Over came the ball and Tim Klose nodded it into the corner. He is a school teacher but he really should have been a fortune teller[:D].It was all hundred mile an hour stuff as the second half kicked off. Jarvis made a brilliant run and cross but nobody could get on the end of it. At the other end Townsend brought Ruddy into action with a diving save to his left and it looked for all the world that Cisse had a tap in. Thankfully a wildly screwed effort only bothered the crowd in the lower Barclay. It was all a bit too open for my liking as the game flowed from end to end with both defences surviving some scary moments. Just after the hour City worked a nice move that left Wisdom with a clear opening from 18 yards only for the Liverpool loanee to smash his shot well over the bar.At this stage I was calling for a change as Toon were looking more of a threat but again AN seemed to dally too long and was forced into a change when Newcastle levelled out of nothing. Mitrovic looped a header from Townsends cross that seemed to catch Ruddy in two minds and was over his head before he reacted. Redmond came on for Jarvis after the goal but it was five or ten minutes too late.After all that hard work and nervous tension it was extremely annoying to concede in that way but we didn''t have long to commiserate. A spell of heavy City pressure ended with a quite stunning goal from the hard working Mbokani. The ball found him on the left corner of the area and he cut inside a defender before unleashing a hammer blow that nearly took the net off the stanchions. The roof certainly came off Carrow Road.We were in dreamland again and all was right with the world and with the clock ticking down the big Congolese forward left to tumultuous applause and was replaced by Jerome. It was also the cue for Wes to come on for Naismith. All we needed now was to run down the clock but as we know to our cost it isn''t the City way. A ball went to hand in the City Box and Mike Dean nearly fell over himself pointing to the spot. I couldn''t judge from my end but it all seemed a bit arbitrary especially as a perfectly good shout was turned away when Jarvis was sent bundling in the box earlier.Mitrovic neatly beat Ruddy from 12 yards and you could see and feel the energy drain out of the players and the crowd. For a few minutes City were at full stretch as Newcastle went in search of and looked like getting a winner. We were deep in injury time when Redmond eventually smuggled the ball away down the right. Howson was blocked off on the penalty spot but surged again and got the ball wide to the incoming Olsson who smacked a low drive just inside the far post. Cue pandemonium in the stands and a pitch invasion it was Roy of the Rovers stuff, they had chucked it away twice but surely the points were now ours and indeed they were as City clung on for the final thirty seconds.Oh dear, oh Lord, sixty odd years of being put through this emotional wringer. Sometimes it becomes all too much and you need more than words to describe it. I may drink more than is good for me tonight[Y]Mbokani....................magnificentKlose......................superbeveryone else played their guts out and showed how much they cared. We will stay up.[:D] 

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Great report Ricardo! i keep reliving it on a continuous brain loop.

Did Alex tinker that much? Martin is apparently injured (or perhaps his illness has flared up), although I''m not sure what the story is about Bennett/Bassong.

One thing that did strike me was that Brady seemed off his game a bit. The overall team spirit seemed superb though, & I think this as much as anything will see us through.

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Usual standard, we bumped into Martin in the Cathedral Lounge (he was walking through to the viewing lounge area) said he he done his knee in training and they decided to keep it quiet, so was a forced change i think rather than a tinker... agree at times Brady looked like he was tiring a bit, he has had a busy week with the Republic, just glad he came back with no damage done,

At least now its in our hands, and agree no question on the team spirit after today, they want it. Enjoy your evening Ricardo.

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"Once again Alex Neil couldn''t resist a fiddle"

"It was all a bit too open for my liking"

"At this stage I was calling for a change as Toon were looking more of a threat but again AN seemed to dally too long"

Not an Alex Neil fan, Ricardo?

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Thanks Ricardo.Re staying up - is this now your considered opinion or the euphoria of the moment?

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[quote user="George Osborn"]"Once again Alex Neil couldn''t resist a fiddle"

"It was all a bit too open for my liking"

"At this stage I was calling for a change as Toon were looking more of a threat but again AN seemed to dally too long"

Not an Alex Neil fan, Ricardo?[/quote]So what did you think?The change seemed obvious at 65 minutes and the delay invited the goal. I know its easy to be wise after the event but I''m pretty sure that I and many others were calling it before the event.

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[quote user=" Badger"]Thanks Ricardo.Re staying up - is this now your considered opinion or the euphoria of the moment?[/quote]events, dear boy.[:D]When the facts changed I change my opinion, what do you do?

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[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="George Osborn"]"Once again Alex Neil couldn''t resist a fiddle"

"It was all a bit too open for my liking"

"At this stage I was calling for a change as Toon were looking more of a threat but again AN seemed to dally too long"

Not an Alex Neil fan, Ricardo?[/quote]So what did you think?The change seemed obvious at 65 minutes and the delay invited the goal. I know its easy to be wise after the event but I''m pretty sure that I and many others were calling it before the event.[/quote]

It was more the opening "Mr Fiddler" comment that made me think he is on to a hiding to nothing with you.

He changed the team up, we don''t know why, so "once again a fiddle" to me suggests a negative perception.

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Great report Ricardo. What a match.

To be fair to Alex Neil, after the first few minutes we were so dominant I think it shows he got the tactics absolutely spot on. But for wayward finishing, and Mbok creeping offside, we could and should have been out of sight at half time.

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[quote user="George Osborn"][quote user="ricardo"][quote user="George Osborn"]"Once again Alex Neil couldn''t resist a fiddle"

"It was all a bit too open for my liking"

"At this stage I was calling for a change as Toon were looking more of a threat but again AN seemed to dally too long"

Not an Alex Neil fan, Ricardo?[/quote]So what did you think?The change seemed obvious at 65 minutes and the delay invited the goal. I know its easy to be wise after the event but I''m pretty sure that I and many others were calling it before the event.[/quote]

It was more the opening "Mr Fiddler" comment that made me think he is on to a hiding to nothing with you.

He changed the team up, we don''t know why, so "once again a fiddle" to me suggests a negative perception.[/quote]No, I have a lot of time for AN but he is not the complete article yet. I''m sure he has good reason for everything he does and can''t be right 100% of the time. I suggest that his record shows so far that he often fiddles when its best to leave it alone. Like any manager he will live and die by his results.I plead guilty to negativity, or at least one half of my Gemini character does and I''m never sure which half is in charge and for how long.[;)]

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[quote user="George Osborn"]When we stay up, i will seek you out and you can have a Peroni on me, you old sod :-)[/quote]Ta very muchly your Lordship[:D]

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Ricardo, I wasn''t teasing when I asked: it was a genuine question. As someone who has seen a good many false dawns, although not as many as yourself, I would now regard us as favourites to stay up (better than evens) but...1. I must have been to Palace 15 or 20 times over the years and have never seen us get more than a draw.2. A dreaded "no show" against Sunderland; a dodgy penalty or a brainstorm ala O''Neill at WBA.Things could all look horribly different in a couple of weeks! You normally have your "feet on the ground," so I was wondering what it was that was making you quite so confident now.  This is not because I want to challenge you in any way but because I am desperately seeking reassurance! I can cope with the despair - it''s the hope that gets to me.PS I note the Keynesian source in one of your quotations - shame you don''t follow his economic guidance! (This IS teasing!)

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LOL

Keynes was right on many things but I don''t know if he was a supporter.

Yes, it can still all go horribly wrong but I sense the run of bad luck and bad decisions has come to an end, these things, like economics tend to go in cycles. Therefore my gaze is now upon the sunlit uplands

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[quote user="ricardo"]

It was all hundred mile an hour stuff as the second half kicked off. Jarvis made a brilliant run and cross but nobody could get on the end of it. At the other end Townsend brought Ruddy into action with a diving save to his left and it looked for all the world that Cisse had a tap in. Thankfully a wildly screwed effort only bothered the crowd in the lower Barclay. It was all a bit too open for my liking as the game flowed from end to end with both defences surviving some scary moments. Just after the hour City worked a nice move that left Wisdom with a clear opening from 18 yards only for the Liverpool loanee to smash his shot well over the bar.

 [/quote]In the CSF game at Carrow Park between our Down''s Syndrome team and Newcastle''s one of the away players (with Jordan on his back) smashed in two right-footers from about the same position, and with a much smaller goal to aim for.

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Ricardo''s criticism of Neill''s frequent tinkering and use of subs is both fair and constructive. It was only some 5 weeks ago that we were as good as dead and buried in that we were on a dreadful run but even worse in all areas of the pitch, including the goalkeeper, there was no consistent formation. In addition I did rate Klose as a cultured footballer but thought he was a bit slow for the Premiership. We are certainly now more of a settled team and with Klose now up to speed he is proving to be a great signing. It has also helped to see Martin Ollsson return and showing far more enthusiasm and determination than earlier in the season.

Neill is rather indecisive about using subs. It is noticeable that he has long discussions with Gary Holt, with his piece of paper, plus subs continually warming up beside the pitch. I am sure the players on the pitch are aware of this and I would even go so far as to say they lose concentration. Somebody will no doubt correct me but I think we have conceded a few goals in this scenario. So yes he needs to be more decisive although I have to admit the impact of subs are made with the great benefit of hindsight. On Saturday the last person I would have brought on would have been Wes. Newcastle mainly consisted of big young strong players who were scrapping for high balls in midfield against some of our very tired boys, and I really could not see how Wes could have made any impact.

I would agree with Ricardo that things look a lot more optimistic and if only Redmond can find some form we could even finish in a comfortable position.

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[quote user="vos"]Ricardo''s criticism of Neill''s frequent tinkering and use of subs is both fair and constructive. It was only some 5 weeks ago that we were as good as dead and buried in that we were on a dreadful run but even worse in all areas of the pitch, including the goalkeeper, there was no consistent formation. In addition I did rate Klose as a cultured footballer but thought he was a bit slow for the Premiership. We are certainly now more of a settled team and with Klose now up to speed he is proving to be a great signing. [/quote]
I''m sorry, I just don''t think this is true.  Our team on Saturday had three changes.  Hardly "settled".

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[quote user="George Osborn"][quote user="vos"]Ricardo''s criticism of Neill''s frequent tinkering and use of subs is both fair and constructive. It was only some 5 weeks ago that we were as good as dead and buried in that we were on a dreadful run but even worse in all areas of the pitch, including the goalkeeper, there was no consistent formation. In addition I did rate Klose as a cultured footballer but thought he was a bit slow for the Premiership. We are certainly now more of a settled team and with Klose now up to speed he is proving to be a great signing. [/quote]
I''m sorry, I just don''t think this is true.  Our team on Saturday had three changes.  Hardly "settled".
[/quote]Not settled overall, but there has been a settled look to the defence in the last three games, and so the the whole team formation. Having tried Martin as one of two centre-backs, and having tried three centre-backs (including Martin),and having had Brady at left-back, the last three games have seen a more conventional back four - Martin (or Wisdom because of injury) on the right, two English-style (if not necessarily English) central defenders, and Olsson, a proper left-back, in that position, rather than the more attacking Brady.

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I agree on that point.  It makes the acquisition of Pinto a rather strange bit of business though, a big money marauding right back who couldn''t get on the bench on Saturday.
Great photo in the aftermath of the Olsson winner, hopefully it comes out:
[img]http://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/02/17/olsson.jpg[/img]

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[quote user="George Osborn"]I agree on that point.  It makes the acquisition of Pinto a rather strange bit of business though, a big money marauding right back who couldn''t get on the bench on Saturday.
Great photo in the aftermath of the Olsson winner, hopefully it comes out:
[img]http://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/02/17/olsson.jpg[/img]
[/quote]I believe Pinto is currently in Portugal as he''s been given two weeks leave of absence owing to his being unable to adjust to the Norfolk lifestyle.

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